Educational device

ABSTRACT

An educational device featuring a housing provided with a plurality of compartments within which are stored marbles, a receptacle for receiving marbles discharged from the compartments, a slot within the housing into which a series of cards are deposited, each of the cards being provided with indicia designating a problem to be solved and multiple answers thereto; a plurality of operating members corresponding to the multiple answers and mounted to the casing for selectively moving a marble from each storage compartment to a position from which it may drop into the receptacle, each of the cards additionally being provided with a coded answer to the problem permitting a marble to drop into the receptacle only as the operating member corresponding to the correct answer is actuated.

United States Patent [1 1 Matsumoto Dec. 11, 1973 1 EDUCATIONAL DEVICEPrimary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-J. H. Wolff 75 l tTeruoM tsumoto T k ,1 1 men or a 0 yo apan Atl0rneyJames D. Halsey, Jr.[73] Assignee: Epoch Company Ltd., Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Apr. 18,1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 245,114 An educational devicefeaturing a housing provided with a plurality of compartments withinwhich are stored marbles, a receptacle for receiving marbles dis- [30]Forelgn Apphcanon Pmmty Data charged from the compartments, a slotwithin the NOV. 15,1971 Japan 46/91236 housing into which a Series ofcards are po i each of the cards being provided with indicia designat-[52] U.S.Cl 35/9R ing a problem to be solved and multiple answers [5 Cl.thereto; a plurality of p i g members p d [58] Field of Search 35/9 R,48 R, 31 R ing to the multiple answers and mounted to the casing forselectively moving a marble from each storage [56] References. C'tedcompartment to a position from which it may drop UNITED STATES PATENTSinto the receptacle, each of the cards additionally 2,866,275 12/1958Reynolds 35/9 R being provided with a coded answer to the problem2,855,703 10/ 1958 Stanton 35/9 R permitting a marble to drop into thereceptacle only as 2,311,217 2/1943 Emmert 35/48 R the operating membercorresponding to the correct 2,585,099 2 1952 Emmert 35/9 R answer isactuated 2,742,713 4/1956 Villanueva 35/9 R 5 Claims, 7 Drawing FiguresPMENTED BEE H I975 SHEET 2 OF 3 EDUCATIONAL DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION into which an infinite number of problem-containing cards areinserted while stimulating the childs interest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The educational device of the present inventionfeatures a housing provided with a plurality of storage compartmentswithin which are located marbles. The housing is further provided with areceptacle for receiving marbles only as the child correctly answersquestions. A slot is provided in the housing into which a series ofcards are inserted. The cards identify the problem and multiple choiceanswers thereto. Each card is provided with a coded answer to theproblem. Extending outwardly from the housing are a plurality ofoperating members corresponding to the multiple choice answers displayedon the card. As the operating member corresponding to the correct answeris depressed, one of the marbles is permitted to pass from the storagecompartment through the coded cut-out portion of the card and then dropinto the receptacle indicating to the child that the correct answer hasbeen selected. If the correct operating members are pressed, the cardblocks the path of the marbles preventing them from dropping into thereceptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theeducational device embodying the present invention into which cardscontaining problems and answers are inserted;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1illustrating a representative operating member in its normal position atwhich time the marble in the corresponding storage compartment is in itsnormal position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. lillustrating a representative operating member depressed so as to raisethe marble within the corresponding storage compartment and the cardcontaining the problem and multiple choice answers inserted in placewithin the housing, the raised marble being free to pass through a codedcut-out opening within the card to then drop into the receptaclesignaling that the child has correctly answered the problem;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a sample card provided withindicia designating a problem and four possible solutions theretocorresponding to the four operating members provided on the housing ofthe educational device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the housing illustratinghow the operating members are attached thereto;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the housing illustratingtwo of the four compartments within which the marbles are stored and arepresentative reciprocating block moved by each of the operatingmembers for raising the marbles to a higher position at which time themarble is either blocked by the card or permitted to pass through acoded cut-out opening contained therein after which it drops intothe-receptacle designating a correct answer; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the housing illustratingthe windows through which the raised marbles may pass and therelationship of the coded cutout portions of the card thereto, it beingapparent that as the operating member on the right-hand side isdepressed raising the marble within the right-hand storage compartmentit is free to pass through the coded cutout portion and one of thewindows after which it drops into the receptacle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The educational device isdesignated generally by reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 and comprises ahousing consisting of two sections 12 and 14 suitably fas- I tenedtogether, for example, by screws 16.

Within section 12 of the housing are formed four separate storagecompartments 18, two of these compartments being'illustrated in FIG. 6.The storage compartments 18 are filled with marbles 20 through openings22 formed at the top of the section 12 of the housing, as illustrated inFIG. 1.

Section 14 of the housing is provided with a receptacle 24 for receivingthe marbles, as explained in detail hereinafter. I

The housing is further provided with four operating members or handles26 suitably mounted for rotation about rods 28, as illustrated in FIG.5. The operating members 26 terminate in end portions 30 which protrudethrough openings 32 formed in section 14. of the housing thereafterextending into the storage compartments 18 of section 12 of the housing.

Within each of the storage compartments 18 is a slidably mounted block34 provided with an opening 36 into which the end portion 30 of thecorresponding operating member 26 extends, as seen in FIGS. 5-6. As willnow be apparent, as each of the operating members 26 is depressed, itsend portion 30 is rotated upwardly causing its corresponding block 34 tobe raised from the bottom position illustrated in FIG. 2 to the topposition illustrated in FIG. 3. In this manner, the marble 20 is raisedupwardly within the storage compartment 18 corresponding to theoperating member 26 being actuated.

As seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, section 14 of the housing is provided withwindows 38 through which the marbles 20 may pass after being raised tothe uppermost position illustrated in FIG. 3. However, section 14 of thehousing is further provided with a plate 40, as illustrated in FIGS. 2and 3, which is normally urged by the spring 42 to block or cover thewindows 38. The plate 40 is additionally provided with a perpendicularflange 44 which entends through an additional opening in the wall ofsection 14 into section 12 of the housing.

Formed as an integral part of section 14 of the housing is a verticalslot within which a plurality of playing cards 48 are inserted. As willbe apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, as the playing card 48 is pusheddownwardly the flange 44 and plate 40 are rotated clockwise thusexposing the windows 38.

Each of the playing cards 48 is provided with a problem to be solved bythe child and four multiple choice answers thereto. In FIG. 4, forexample, the playing card 48 illustrates three bells and four possibleanswers 5, 2, 4 and 3. The four possible answers correspond to the fouroperating levers 26. Since there are three bells the correct answer is 3and the operating lever 26 at the right-hand side of the housing shouldbe depressed.

Each of the cards 48 is additionally provided with coded cut-outportions 50 at the bottom thereof. As will be apparent from FIGS. 2, 3and 7, the coded cutout portions 50 within each card 48 are positionadjacent the windows 38 and the uppermost position of the marbles 20.

The coded cut-out portions 50 are positioned on the card 48 so as topermit a marble to pass from the storage compartment 18 through thecut-out portion 50 and one of the windows 38 into the receptacle 24 onlywhen the correct operating member 26 is depressed. If the incorrectoperating member 26 is depressed the remaining portions of the card 48block the marble 20-from passing through the windows 38.

If in the example illustrated in FIG. 4 the child selects the correctanswer 3 and depresses the operating member 26 at the right-hand side ofthe housing, the marble 20 is raised upwardly within the right-handstorage compartment 18 and is permitted to pass through coded cut-outportion 50 and the window 38 which, as illustrated in FIG. 7, arealigned with each other. No marbles may pass from the remaining storagecompartments 18 into the receptacle 24 since portions of the card 48block the remaining portions of the windows 38.

In like manner, the coded cut-out portions of every card 48 are arrangedand correlated with the correct answers to the questions posed so as topermit the mar bles to pass downwardly from the respective storagechambers 18 into the receptacle 24 only as the correct answers arechosen.

The problems presented to the child are unlimited in variety, includingbut not limited to arithmetic and matching.

I claim:

1. An educational device, comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of storage compartments within said housing, a block mountedwithin each of said storage compartments for sliding movement thereinand playing pieces within said storage compartments and located abovesaid block of each compartment;

a receptacle formed within saidhousing;

passage means connecting the upper portion of each of said storagecompartments and said receptacle;

a slot formed within said housing and intersecting said passage;

a plurality of operating members mounted to said housing and meansconnecting said members and said blocks such that as each of saidmembers is actuated its corresponding block is moved upwardly withinsaid compartment raising said playing piece to the upper portion thereofadjacent said passage; and

a card inserted within said slot, said card including indicia at the topthereof and visible to the user designating a problem to be solved aswell as multiple choice answers thereto, said answers corresponding innumber to said operating members and said storage compartments, saidcard further comprising means defining a coded answer to said problempermitting a playing piece to pass from said upper portion of saidstorage compartment corresponding to the correct answer through saidpassage into said receptacle only as said operating member correspondingto the correct answer is actuated.

2. An educational device as in claim 1, wherein said coded answercomprises an opening within said card, said opening positioned adjacentsaid passage so as to form an extension thereof and also positionedadjacent the upper portion of said storage compartment corresponding tothe correct answer so as to permit a playing piece to pass from saidstorage compartment corresponding to the correct answer into saidpassage while the remaining portions of said passage connecting theremaining storage compartments to said receptacle are blocked by saidcard.

3. An educational device as in claim 1, including a member operativelymounted for rotation within said housing and means normally urging sameto block said passage, said member including a portion normallyextending within said slot such that as said card is inserted withinsaid slot said card pushes against said portion causing said member tobe rotated away from said passage.

4. An educational device as in claim 1, wherein said playing pieces arespherical in configuration and said coded answer comprises a circularopening through which said spherical member may pass.

5. An educational device as in claim 1, wherein said means connectingsaid operating members and said blocks comprises means mounting saidoperating members for rotation about an axis, each of said operatingmembers terminating in an end portion secured within one of said blockssuch that as the other end of said operating members is depressed saidend portion thereof is raised causing said blocks to be raised.

1. An educational device, comprising: a housing; a plurality of storagecompartments within said housing, a block mounted within each of saidstorage compartments for sliding movement therein and playing pieceswithin said storage compartments and located above said block of eachcompartment; a receptacle formed within said housing; passage meansconnecting the upper portion of each of said storage compartments andsaid receptacle; a slot formed within said housing and intersecting saidpassage; a plurality of operating members mounted to said housing andmeans connecting said members and said blocks such that as each of saidmembers is actuated its corresponding block is moved upwardly withinsaid compartment raising said playing piece to the upper portion thereofadjacent said passage; and a card inserted within said slot, said cardincluding indicia at the top thereof and visible to the user designatinga problem to be solved as well as multiple choice answers thereto, saidanswers corresponding in number to said operating members and saidstorage compartments, said card further comprising means defining acoded answer to said problem permitting a playing piece to pass fromsaid upper portion of said storage compartment corresponding to thecorrect answer through said passage into said receptacle only as saidoperating member corresponding to the correct answer is actuated.
 2. Aneducational device as in claim 1, wherein said coded answer comprises anopening within said card, said opening positioned adjacent said passageso as to form an extension thereof and also positioned adjacent theupper portion of said storage compartment corresponding to the correctanswer so as to permit a playing piece to pass from said storagecompartment corresponding to the correct answer into said passage whilethe remaining portions of said passage connecting the remaining storagecompartments to said receptacle are blocked by said card.
 3. Aneducational device as in claim 1, including a member operatively mountedfor rotation within said housing and means normally urging same to blocksaid passage, said member including a portion normally extending withinsaid slot such that as said card is inserted within said slot said cardpushes Against said portion causing said member to be rotated away fromsaid passage.
 4. An educational device as in claim 1, wherein saidplaying pieces are spherical in configuration and said coded answercomprises a circular opening through which said spherical member maypass.
 5. An educational device as in claim 1, wherein said meansconnecting said operating members and said blocks comprises meansmounting said operating members for rotation about an axis, each of saidoperating members terminating in an end portion secured within one ofsaid blocks such that as the other end of said operating members isdepressed said end portion thereof is raised causing said blocks to beraised.